An Eternal Flame
by Cinnamon Ribbon
Summary: With her house burned down and her mother murdered, Cream is out to find out who is responsible... She isn't pleased by the results. TailsxCream
1. Beep in the Night

Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog or any of the characters in the series.

Editted: June 21, 2007

* * *

_It was a still and peaceful night, but I still couldn't sleep. I had no idea why; nothing bad was going to happen tomorrow, and I felt extremely tired. It read 2:21 on my clock. "If I don't get sleep now…I won't be able to get through the day…" I thought to myself._

_I forced my eyes to close, hoping that I would fall asleep. I could hear some noises from downstairs. Maybe Mommy couldn't sleep either. _

_Suddenly, I heard something very faint. It was a ring of an alarm clock. It wasn't mine… Must have been Mommy's…_

_But why would mommy set her alarm clock at such a strange time?_

_Curiosity got a hold of me. Sleepily getting out off my bed, I opened the door, and before I can even see what was happening, smoke rushed into the room. With my eyes watering, I closed the door quickly. "That didn't happen! That didn't happen!" But I knew inside that something was wrong in this house._

_I tried to call my mom, but my voice wouldn't work. My throat was dry, and all that come out was a whisper. A whisper that no one would hear._

_I had to get out of here. I did the first thing that came to mind. I grabbed a book and threw it out of the window. It was such a long way down, but I didn't think I have another choice. I held my breath and leaped out. I tried to fly. I forgot how. Fright took over me, and I panicked._

_"Mommy!" I knew she couldn't save me._

_I haven't seen Mommy at all since I woke up in this hospital. Whenever I asked for her, they would say that no one named Vanilla is there. I hope she all right…_

"May I come in?" A voice softly asked.

"Yes, you may," Cream said.

"It's me." Amy didn't seem all too cheerful today. Cream tried to hold her gaze, but she looked away.

"Amy, do you know what happened to my mother?"

"No, would you like me to bring you ice cream? I know how much you love it."

"No thank you, I've lost my appetite. So where is Mommy?"

"… Oh, Cream, I feel so sorry. If there's anything I could do-"

"What do you mean? You couldn't mean." Her fears were true. Mommy really wasn't well.

"Are you sure you don't want me to bring you some ice cream. I can bring you vanil- chocolate!"

"No thank you. Please pardon me, but I need to walk for a little bit." Cream jumped out of bed, and walked away.

* * *

_Mommy's dead. Mommy's dead. I knew that was a fact, but why wasn't I feeling sad? I didn't feel anything at the moment. Just… Emptiness._

"Ah, Cream…" Cream looked up, and saw Tails. He was looking to the ground, as if he was uncomfortable to see her. "You looked depressed."

"Well… It's nothing, really. Nothing…" Cream lied.

Tails tilted his head. "Are you sure about that?"

"Well… My mom is dead."

Tails eyes widened. "Cream, that's horrible! I mean, you don't have anyone to take care of you! … Does that mean you're an orphan?"

"Orphan… Why would I-" That's when Cream realized it. Mommy was dead. No one was there to take care of her. She didn't have a home, food, or any hope of living.

Her eyes started to water. The fox whispered something to her, but she didn't hear what he said. She broke down in tears. She felt like she was going to fall, but Tails made sure she didn't. She could feel him carrying her someplace. Where, she just didn't care.

* * *

Her tears have dried up, but her heart still hurt with grief. "Are you okay, now?" Tails asked. She could feel her face turning red.

"How many people where there when I…"

"Not many, trust me." His eyes softened. "You have a lot of friends; no one is going to leave you on the streets."

"I guess so… I wonder what started the fire… Neither Mommy nor I were cooking, and there wasn't anything in the house that could have started it…" Cream thought aloud.

"Well… How do you know? Maybe there was some kind of object that made the house set on fire," Tails said.

"There's only one way to find out. We have to look for evidence!" Cream told him. "We can go to the scene of the crime. Look for clues!"

"Now? In broad sunlight?"

"If you want to, we can look at night." She suggested.

Tails still looked a little uneasy about the whole situation. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Tails, you know how much this means to me!" She exclaimed. 'Why isn't he going to help me? It's not like him.' Cream thought to herself.

Suddenly, Sonic walked into the room. "Hey Tails. And Cream," he added, as his eyes sadly glanced at her. "What were you two talking about?"

"A science project!" Tails stated quickly before Cream could even say anything.

"Have fun… I guess," he said, as he walked out of the door.

"Why did you say that?" Cream asked.

"I-I don't want him to suspect anything," Tails replied nervously.

"Well, as I was saying, why are you so uneasy to look around my house?"

"I just don't want you to get hurt… There may be broken glass… And wouldn't it be painful, seeing your house completely destroyed? You can stay at my house for a little bit. I'm sure you could use some rest," Tails said.


	2. Sweet Dreams

_It was a peaceful night. Tails was sleeping peacefully beside me, but again I couldn't sleep. I felt a little warm like I was coming down with a fever. I decided maybe a nice drink of water would cool me down._

_I came to the door, and as still as I opened it, fire covered my hand. The fire spread throughout the room. "Tails!" I shouted. "Tails!" But he didn't wake up. I dashed to him, shaking him, and screaming at him, trying to wake him up, but the fire spread all around us. There was no escape-_

Cream woke up, gasping for air. Tails was up, with his hands holding Cream's. "Don't worry. Don't worry… Everything is alright now…"

"Oh, Tails! I had a horrible dream. There was fire everywhere, and… it was horrible!"

"You're still shaken up after last night." He said. "But you're safe, trust me… Anyway, we have a guest with us." Cream soon noticed Charmy Bee flying next to her.

"Charmy, what are you doing here?" She asked.

"Not to loud! We can't let Shadow know I'm here." Charmy whispered. "So anyway, I've heard what happened about your mother and all, and I really wanted to comfort you, and make sure you're alright."

"Aw, thanks. But why is Shadow here?"

"He's babysitting!" Charmy answered pleasantly. "Sonic had to leave…"

"Why?" The young rabbit asked.

"Something about reporting the crime! He really wanted to be the one to do it…"

"Why?"

"Well…He didn't say… I guessing it's because… Sonic is like a big brother! He looks after Tails' friends."

"And how do you know all this?" Tails asked.

"Um, logic!" Charmy replied.

"I'm sure the main reason you're here is because this is a pretty big case, and the Chaotix wants to solve it," Tails concluded.

"… You're very smart! Would you like to join the Chaotix someday? You can be like my big brother!" Charmy exclaimed excitedly.

"Not too loud, Charmy!" Tails whispered angrily. But it was too late.

"Tails? … Cream! Charmy! What are you two doing here?" Shadow asked with angry.

"Um… Slumber party." The bee said.

Shadow sighed. "You can't have guests over, Tails, Cream and Charmy will have to go. This is my only chance to gain Sonic's trust. Sonic will find out what to do." The dark hedgehog told them, pushing us out.

"Why do these things happen to me?" Cream whispered. A wind breeze of cold, winter air froze the rabbit. I stood at the house for a while. I won't run away. I will wait until Sonic comes back…

* * *

A few hours later, Sonic dashed to his house. He was about to open the door when Cream came up to him. "Cream?" Sonic asked. "Wha…"

"Shadow made me go outside…"

"What? How? Why were you sleeping here?"

"Didn't Tails tell you?"

Sonic shook his head. "Wait, what has he been telling you?"

Cream looked at him nervously. "He… We were talking about the fire, and who might have caused it."

Sonic sighed. "Cream can you go someplace else? Tails and I need to talk…"


	3. Case Closed

"Hm, what am I going to do today?" Amy Rose asked herself. "Oh! I know! I'll bake a cake for Sonic!"

Amy heard a knock on the door. "Who is it now!?!"

"Um… Cream the Rabbit?"

"Oh… Cream!" Amy smiled. "How are you doing right now?"

"I'm a little sad, I guess…"

"Oh, because of your mom…"

"Well, yeah. But not just my mom… You see… I think I did something that will make Tails hate me to the bitter end…" Cream cried.

"Tails? Hate you? Tails doesn't hate anyone! Except Eggman, of course!" Amy laughed. "You would have to do something terrible to have Tails hate you! It probably something small! Tails is just so overprotective over his little inventions!"

"It… Didn't have anything to do with his inventions…"

"Oh…" Amy gasped. "Nothing to do with Eggman? Or his inventions? Oh! What did you do? Ooh! Did he yell? Scream? Rid his hair out?"

"Actually, I don't know what happened… I just think he is going to hate me." Cream replied.

"Oh." Amy sighed disappointedly. "What happened then?"

"I don't want to say…"

"What? Cream! Please…"

"No thank you."

"Cream…"

"Amy, I don't think…"

Cream was then cut off by a harsh, loud knock on the door.

Cream continued. "Amy, I don't think Tai…" Cream was yet again interrupted by a loud knock on the door.

"Okay! Okay! I'm coming! I'm coming!" Amy told the knocker angrily.

She opened the door, and smiled evilly at Cream. "Tails!" Amy cried, grinning at Tails's unbelievably irritated expression. "How are you doing?"

"Amy, I **really** need to talk to Cream. I heard I could find her here." Tails breathed.

"Right here!" Amy cried, dragging Cream from behind a couch. "Talk all day long!"

"Thank you." Tails thanked quickly.

They both walked upstairs.

* * *

"Tails, I'm so sorr…"

"Cream, it's not your fault." Tails interrupted quickly. "But we have to leave!"

"Leave?" Cream asked. "Hold on! Where? When? How? WHY?"

"Where? Someplace far, far away from this place. When? Now. How? We will fly there. Why? For your safety." Tails explained quickly.

"Tails, what is going on?" Cream asked.

"We will go to as far as our wings will take us…"

"You give me millions of questions, and yet I get no answers…."

"… When we are tired we will land…"

"… 'I want to protect you! I want to protect you!' Protect me from what, Tails?"

"… I have the money in my bag, I can buy an apartment…"

"… What is up with you and Sonic? I always thought you had a good relationship…"

"… I will work as a mechanic. I will get a job…"

"Tails!"

"I will live with you, and support you, and care for you, and…"

"You can get seriously hurt! I just want to protect you!" Cream cried.

The room then was filled with silence. Tails looked up, and whispered, "I'm listening."

"Tails, I have suspected you of murdering my mom and burning down my house. I don't want to… I don't like to… But I do. Listen to yourself, Tails! All this talk about flying to a city, us being together… All of your words are a fantasy, Tails. Who will hire an eight year old? How much money will that job give you? Is it enough to support us?"

"Cream…"

"No, Tails. Where are you? What has gotten into you? Why are you so secretive to me? What happened to the cautious Tails who I loved so much?"

"Cream…"

"Are you guilty?"

Tails looked at her with tears coming down his face. "No… Well… Maybe…"

"TAILS!"

"Well… I'm… I'm not… I'm not really involved. Just indirectly."

"Indirectly?"

"Well, yes. I'm not guilty, but I'm not innocent…"

"Tails! Please tell me what happen! You have to trust me."

"Cream. You are… You are right. No more lies. No more doubts. But I'm still afraid you will get hurt, physically."

"What, is some assassin going to get me?"

Tails paused, and gazed at her.

* * *

"An assassin?" Cream cried. Tails nodded, not speaking. "Who is it?" Tails looked at the floor with an upset expression.

"Cream… It's… S… S… Sonic…"

"What?! Tails, you don't make any sense! Why would Sonic kill my mom?" Cream asked with tears in her eyes.

"After fighting Eggman 7 years later, he was world famous. He got tons of money, but that didn't last long. Nothing evil or bad has happened since than, but Sonic just played it cool. Told me to not stressed over it, and relax. He said as long as he was there, he would support me and take care of me. Soon we ran out of money…

"But Sonic never made it seem like money was a problem." Cream answered.

"That's just Sonic's way to handle things. He pretends there's nothing wrong, and he just acts like life is just one big party. But later on, we didn't have enough money to buy things. That's why I haven't been inventing many things. Not enough money to buy the new tools and materials to make stuff. So now all I can do is care for all my old inventions…"

"But food…"

"Is hard to buy now." Tails continued sadly. "Sonic was afraid of that too. He was afraid I would have to be sent to the orphanage. We been through so much together, and he just couldn't… So he had to get a job. When Sonic got the assassin job, he thought all the people he was going to kill were villains and criminals who deserved it. But soon, he found out that some of the people weren't all evil. That is why he was always so depressing. He doesn't like being used for evil…"

"And why didn't he get a new job?" Cream asked.

"Its not like he liked his job, in fact, he hated it!" Tails answered. "He tried uncountable times to get into another job, but he couldn't. No one would hire a past assassin. No one."

"And you knew this?" Cream asked.

"Not until Sonic was asked to kill Vanilla. He asked me how to make a fire in a house, and I told him, but I asked him why. He didn't want to lie to me, so he told me the truth about the assassination. He told me if I told anyone, he would kill that person. If I told you, he would be after you…"

"So that's why you wouldn't talk to me about it."

"That's right."

"So he's after me?!"

"I called the police, Cream, don't worry."

"But… Tails, he's your best friend!"

"I know, but he'll be happier in jail then killing people to survive."

"I guess you're right…"

"Now for where you're going to live. Remember that offer Charmy had about joining the Chaotix… I couldn't accept it, but I'm sure the Chaotix will be more then happy to have someone who can decently cook with them…"

So Cream visited the Chaotix. Vector, who had a good 'friendship' with Vanilla felt like it was his duty to take care of her. Charmy was glad he had someone his age around to be with. And Espio was glad to have someone who cooked. As for Tails, Cream never forgot all he did for her, and she promised to herself that one day she would repay him someday.

The End


End file.
